Hogan is still dodging his constituents on the health care disaster

A train wreck of a health care bill in Congress threatens to cost Marylanders huge cutbacks in their coverage and, just incidentally, cost the state government a cool $2 billion, is getting no attention from Gov. Hogan, who acts as if there's nothing to see here and invites us to keep moving. But he's dodging the responsibility he is supposed to exercise.

/By Beth Landry/Progressive Maryland/ Larry Hogan is still dodging the truthtellers and truthseekers.

Members of Hear Us, Hogan! and Progressive Marylandteamed up on Wednesday, July 12th at Maryland's State House. For 21 weeks Elizabeth MacKenzie has gone to Gov. Larry Hogan’s office to ask him to hold a town hall meeting with his constituents. For 21 weeks, Hogan has ignored the invitation.

“Hogan doesn’t meet with his constituents, he doesn’t talk, he doesn’t share, he doesn’t take a public position on controversial issues,” said MacKenzie. Hogan has refused to hold a meeting open to the general public since being elected in 2014.

Today MacKenzie made her weekly trek for the 22nd time since Feb. 20th, joined by Progressive Maryland members. The group delivered a combined 800+ signed petitions asking Hogan to take a strong public position on the health care repeal legislation moving through congress.

Maryland residents would be significantly harmed if the Affordable Care Act is repealed and replaced with the proposed Senate or House bills. Hundreds of thousands of people in Maryland are at risk of losing coverage for health care through Medicaid and CHIP and are at risk of being unable to afford insurance because of pre-existing conditions. It’s appalling that Gov. Hogan would remain silent – again – and allow people to suffer.

Congress has taken a radical step and delayed their month-long August recess by two weeks to try to get a Senate vote on healthcare, among other legislative business. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants to have language revised on the bill by the end of THIS WEEK, with a potential CBO score and VOTE NEXT WEEK. We are being advised that if the Senate does indeed take a bill to a vote that the House of Representatives may take the Senate version to a vote with lightning speed - possibly the SAME DAY. The time to hold our elected officials accountable is NOW.

In addition to making phone calls and being advocates on the national and statewide level, the Maryland for Guaranteed Healthcare campaign is hosting our second series of healthcare canvasses to talk one on one with people in our communities on Saturday, July 15th and Sunday, July 16th! We will be launching three canvasses from:

Saturday, July 15thSalisbury canvass: Pemberton Little League Ballpark at 11am in Salisbury, MD